Current Affairs Quiz-September, 2020

Notes:
India has signed a 500-million-dollar loan agreement with Asian Development Bank (ADB) recently.
This is the first tranche of one-billion-dollar credit facility offered by ADB to build high-speed Delhi-Meerut regional rapid transit system (RRTS) corridor. The RRTS is 82 km long and is aimed to improve the connectivity and mobility in the national capital region.

Notes:
Union Minster of Petroleum has stated that Five state run oil and natural gas PSUs will become corporate partners of the International Solar Alliance (ISA).
These PSUs would make financials contribution to ISA’s corpus fund. This announcement was made during the 1st World Solar Technology Summit organized by ISA. ONGC, IOCL, BPCL, HPCL and GAIL are the 5 PSUs.

Notes:
The Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas has recently dedicated 56 Compressed natural gas (CNG) stations spread across 13 states, to the nation.
He also said that the Petroleum and Natural Gas Regulatory Board (PNGRB) is working to launch the 11th City gas distribution (CGD) authorisation round. The regulator board gives licenses for Retail CNG to automobiles and Piped cooking gas to household kitchens.

Notes:
The Pune based SII -Serum Institute of India has paused the clinical trial of COVID vaccine candidate. The vaccine is being developed by Oxford University’s Jenner Institute and Astra Zeneca.
Serum Institute has stopped the trial after a notice from the Drug Controller General of India (DCGI). The trials of COVID vaccine were stopped globally after one of the recipients in U.K. showed adverse symptoms.

Notes:
The Small Industries Development Bank of India (SIDBI) has signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the Rajasthan government to develop the MSME ecosystem in the state.
This is the initiative of the Department of Industries, Rajasthan to provide financial and technical support to MSMEs in the state. The state has also amended the MSME Act to promote industries and exempt businesses from permissions and inspections for three years.

Notes:
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha laid the e-foundation stone of Arun Jaitley Memorial Sports Complex, Hiranagar in Kathua district in Jammu & Kashmir.
Union Minister Jitendra Singh and Union Minister of Youth and Sports, Kiren Rijiju jointly laid the e-foundation stone. The Rs 58.23 crore mega-sports complex is being undertaken under the Prime Minister’s Development Package (PMDP).

Notes:
Foundation stone was laid for construction of a Special Economic Zone (SEZ) in Sabroom of Tripura. It is the first SEZ of the state.
The SEZ is being built at a cost of Rs 635 crore and would focus on rubber, bamboo, textile and food processing. Sabroom is located at a distance of 130 km from Agartala, the capital of Tripura.

Notes:
Social media Major Facebook has partnered with the leading edu-tech platform Coursera, to launch Social Media Marketing Professional Certificate.
As per a joint official release of the two companies, under the five-course program, learners are trained in social media marketing including Creating impactful content, Protecting user data. The learners are made ready for related jobs with top employers.

Notes:
The Government of India has formed a committee for conducting a study on the origin and evolution of 12,000-year-old Indian culture.
The committee comprises of 16 members with K.N. Dikshit, the Chairman of Indian Archaeological Society as a prominent member. The ministry plans to use the report of the committee in textbooks for the purpose of educational research.

Notes:
The Rajya Sabha has recently passed the Aircraft (Amendment) Bill 2020, which was tabled by Civil aviation minister Hardeep Singh Puri
The bill has already been cleared by the Lok Sabha in March this year. It seeks to convert aviation agencies like the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA), Bureau of Civil aviation security (BCAS) and Aircraft Accident Investigation Bureau (AAIB) into statutory bodies. It also proposes heavy punishment for violations.